Improvement in mowing-machines



l DNITED STATES PATENT Ormea.

THOS. WINDELL, OF NEW ALBANY, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO J. B. FORD, JAS. H. SHIELDS, AND H. L. BRIDWELL, ALL 0F SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 22,608, dated January 11, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS WINDELL, of New Albany, in the county of Floyd and State of In diana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in blowing-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, rei'- erence being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in the arrangement of the spring, as described, at the outer guard, and also in the employment and arrangement of the box which connects the gearing of the machine, as will be hereinafter described.

In the annexed drawngs,`Figure l is a plan view. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a back perspective of the cutting apparatus.

Figs. 4. and 5 are views showing the regulating-springs. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the box for connecting the gearing.

In the figures, A represents the drivingwheel of the machine, which is connected to that portion ofthe frame marked A by means of a short axle which passes through its center.

D represents a box, which is secured to the frame-piece A. This box consists of a single piece of cast metal, and is provided with a shaft, P, which serves as an axle for the driving-Wheel of the machine, also with two journal-bearings, t and u, and anges s s. The flange s extends or may extend the length of the box. When this box is placed upon the frame-piece A' the anges s s' extend down on its sides, and serve to keep it in position, and from being moved from one side to'the other, and the box thus described is intended to secure to a single frame-piece of wood the gearing used in operating the machine.

The driving-wheel is provided, as will be seen, with an inside gear-wheel, B, into which works a pinion, D, said pinion connecting with a cog-Wheel, C, which Works into and operates a bevel-wheel, E, which is secured to a shaft marked F.

To one end of the shaftF, it willbe seen, there is a crank, h, and i is arod which connects the crank h to the cutter-bar J.

ee e are a series of cutters on the cutterbar J.

d d d represent the n gers, which are secured to the under side of the plate R.

a c a are a series of metallic springs, which are secured to the upper side of' plate R.

The ngers d d are provided with a shoulder near their outer extremity, and the springs a. a extend over the fingers, their front ends terminating against the shoulder on the nger ends. The cutters are made to operate between the fingers and this series of springs, the springs yielding to stron g pressure or iirm obstacles to prevent packing and choking of the cutter-bar.

c is a spring secured to the front end of and at the bottom of the outer guard, the back end of said spring passing through a hole in the rear of said guard.

o is a screw, which passes through the center of the guard, and pressing upon the spring at or near its center increases its convexity, thus elevating the cutting apparatus at that side ofthe machine. A similer spring may be placed on the other side of the machine, in order to regulate both sides alike. The cutting apparatus slides upon these springs when the machine is in motion. The chief advantages ot this spring are that it may be more easily regulated than any other now in use, all it being necessary to do, in order to raise the cutting apparatus, is to turn the screw o. Again, when the convexity of the springis increased, less of the spring touches or drags on the earth, and it thus runs easier and more easily passes over obstructions in its way.

This machine, it will be perceived, is very simplein its construction, there being only one piece of wood about it exclusive of the tongue, which is the frame-piece A. y

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The employment,in connection with a single frame-piece, A', of the box @IJ/,which is cast, in the manner herein specified, with axle the convexty of the spring-shoe is increased and diminished with the elevation or depression* of the cutter, in the manner and for lche purpose described.

THOMAS WINDELL.

Witnesses JARED G. JOCELYN, I. B. FORD. 

